Metro Briefing | New York: Manhattan: Parachute Attempt Stopped

By KAREEM FAHIM (NYT); Compiled by John Sullivan

Published: April 28, 2006

Wearing a disguise to elude guards, a California man tried to parachute off the Empire State Building yesterday, before police and security officers stopped him, the police said. The officers arrested the man, Jeb Corliss, 30, who was expected to face charges of trespassing and reckless endangerment. Security officers at the building had received a tip that Mr. Corliss, a noted daredevil, would attempt such a jump, but he reached the 86th-floor observatory unnoticed because of his disguise, which also concealed his parachute, the police said. About 3:40 p.m., Mr. Corliss scaled the protective fence when a police officer and security guard grabbed him and handcuffed him to the railing, the police said. The police said Mr. Corliss had previously attempted such jumps. KAREEM FAHIM (NYT)